NACOGDOCHES – To celebrate Arbor Day this year, the Garden Capital of Texas Committee is partnering with the Elliot Family Foundation and SFA Gardens to give away trees for local homeowners to plant. The free tree giveaway will be held from 11 am to 2 pm on Friday, November 7, at the Chamber of Commerce, 2515 North Street.
“We are so excited to offer a diverse selection of native trees and shrubs for the Texas Arbor Day tree giveaway,” said Dawn Stover, owner of The Nectar Connector, a pollinator habitat consultation service, and a Garden Capital Committee founding member. “Species were selected specifically for wildlife value, including those with fruit perfect for songbirds, flowers that attract pollinators, and some with foliage that serves as host plants for caterpillars.”
This is the second time the Garden Capital of Texas Committee has been able to hold a giveaway for homeowners in Nacogdoches County and surrounding areas to replenish trees that might have suffered from drought or storm damage and to provide a means of beautification.
“We are donating trees to our community in lieu of our annual tree-planting,” said Angela Wiederhold, committee president. “The Garden Capital Committee and Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful are grateful to the Elliott Family Foundation for help purchasing this large quantity of trees.”
The Garden Capital of Texas Committee celebrates Arbor Day every year with a special project and encourages the planting and nurturing of trees to protect our environment and enrich our lives. Historians trace Arbor Day’s origins back to the fifth century, when Swiss villagers gathered to plant groves of oak trees. Arbor Day first appeared in the United States in 1872, when the Nebraska state legislature passed this country’s first Arbor Day resolution. Arbor Day first appeared in Texas in 1889, when the citizens of Temple began a tree-planting campaign, and a year later the first statewide observance was held in Austin.
To help with funds required for future planting projects, please send a donation to The Garden Capital c/o Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful, P.O. Box 633030, Nacogdoches, Texas 75963-3030 or visit keepnacbeautiful.org/donate . Please note “Nacogdoches Garden Capital” on your check or your donation via the website.